Method of coating strands



May 10, 1927.

- W. F. HQSFORD METHOD or COATING STRA'NDS 4 Shuts- Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 11. 1924 May 10,1921. 1.627.139

- w. F. HOSFORD' METHOD OF COATING S TRANDS Filed Oct. 11. 1924 48hoets-Sheet 3 /7 LJ2L,J2L

tion and Patented May 10, 1927.

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM FULLER-308F031), OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS ASSIGNOB TO WESTERN ELEC- TRIQCOMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., AOORPORLTION OF NEW YORK.

.AMIETHOD OF COATING STKANDS.

Application'flled ctober11, 1924. Serial No. "8:158.

This invention relates to a method of coating strands, and more particularly to a method of forming a coating which is common to a pluralitypf strands.

' An object of the invention is to provide an improved method of forming a common coatingfor a plurality of strands, one of which is twistedaround another.

The improved method may be employed In to great advantage to produce an article de scribed in mycopending application, Serial No. 743,160, filed October 11, 1924, which article comprises a plurality of spaced electrical conductors in strand form having a 1 common coating of pulpous material attached to the conductors by an intermingling of the fibers thereof, one of the conductors being twisted around another in accordance with the practiceusually followed in the manufacture of telephone cables and the like. However, the invention is limited to such use onl in so far as pointed out in the appended c aims.

In one specific embodiment of the inven- 125 tion, a plurality of spaced electrical conductors in strand form are simultaneously subjected to a liquid containing pulp in such manner that .a ribbon of wet pulp is applied to the conductors. This ribbon is formed {in into a substantially dry, uniform coati'ng common to the conductors which are subsequently twisted ing being adapted to remain unbroken during the twisting o eration. v t

In another specific embodiment of the invention, a ribbon of wet pulp is applied in the manner above described 'to a pluralitynf spaced electrical "conductors in strand form and is so treated that it becomes a uni form coating common to the conductors. While the coating is still in;a moist condition, the conductors are twisted-around each other, afterwhich the coating is thoroughly dried.

The word pulp as fining and including any cohering fibrous 'Jmass whether suspended in a liquid, moist, or substantially dry. p

' Other objects and featu'res of the'invenaround each other, the coat-' around each other,

used in the specific-a claims is tobe understood as de- 7 tion will become apparent as the detaileddescription progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figs; 1 to 2 are complementary parts of a lan sectional view taken through apparatus y which the improved method may be pracs ticed;

Figs. 3 and 4 are com lementary viewsof a longitudinal section ta en through the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional vlew taken on line 55 of Fig. 4;-

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1; k I

Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive are enlarged-transverse views which progressively illustrate the manner in which the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 6 ing of pulpous material upon a plurality of electrical conductors in strand form;

Fig.@11- is a fragmentary view of av plurality of electrical conductors having a coating formed by the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive;

Fig. "12 is a longitudinal sectional view inclusive: forms acommon coatlongitudinal through apparatus which maybe employed "to practice another embodiment of the invention, and

Figs. 13 and 14 are sectional views taken on lines 13-13 and 14-14, respectively, of Fig. 12. p It is believed that a com lete understanding of the improved metho will be procured from a description of the a paratusby means of which the, method may bepracticed.

The apparatus shownintheaccompanying drawings is adapted to apply a common coating of paper or other pulpous material to a plurality of electrical conductors in strand form' and to .twist the conductors conductors constituting article described in my copending application, Serial No. -743,160, filed October 11, 1924.

The apparatus first subjects the electrical conductors to a liquid containing pulp in such' manner that a ribbon of wet pulpis deposited upon "the conductors.- Excess moisture is removed from the ribbon which the coated and twisted theaforementioned was - conductors, the conductors being so 'ly twisted around each other.

' y it into a uniform coatin is formed into a uniform coating) for the sequentductors is substantially 'i entical with the ill "paratus Comprises a'drum 16 partly subapparatus shown and described in the copen'ding application of J. S. Little. Serial- No. 734,874, filed August 29, 1924. This apmerged in a liquid which contains pulp and is held in a tank 17. The drum 16 comprises an annular foraminous portion 27 through which liquid may flow from the tank 17 into the drum 16, the liquid being discharged through the ends ofthe drum. The tank is supplied with liquid containing pulp from a mixing vat (not shown).

As best shown in Fi .2, 4, and 5, elec trical conductors 12 w ich are to be subjccted to the liquid containing pulp are withdrawn from a plurality of supply reels 65 and are guided by a plurality of grooved rollers 70 to the foraminous portion 27. The grooved rollers 70 are adapted to space the conductors 12 a predetermined distance apart and in this instance are adapted to guide two conductors traveling in the direction of the arrows to the foraminous portion. A ribbon 73 of wet pulpous material is applied to the conductors as they are carried through the tank 17 by the drum 16, the.

drum being driven by means hereinafter described. The arrangementcis such that some pulp is first strained onto the foraminous portion 27 before the conductors are brought into contact therewith. Then when the conductors contact with the initial layer of pulp on the foraminous portion and the drum-continues to revolve in the tank 17, an additional amount of pulp will be deposited on the conductors and on the foraminous portion. It will be noted that the ribbon 73 V with the belt 75 and the drum 16 to squeeze:

- excess liquid from the pulpous material ad-V is common to the spaced conductors 12 (Fig.7)k

A woven belt 7 5 aids'in freeing the pul ribbons from the foraminous portion 2 when the conductors 12 leave the drum 16.

The belt is held in contact with the drum 16 by a felt covered roller 76 which coacts hering tov the conductors. The conductors 12 and the ribbon 73 are advanced with the belt 75 and between it and a similar belt 7 9. The belt 7 5 is trained over a plurality of rollers 80 and '81- and over a. plurality of rolls 83. -Means (not shown) is provided for. the roller 80 and it drives the belt 75 which in turn fi-ictionally engages and drives the drum 16 andthe belt 7 9, the belt 7 9 being held in contact with the belt 7 5 by rubber covered rollers and 86. The belts '7 5 and 79 together with the rollers 80,

81,85, and 86 prevent the pulp ribbon 73 from losing the form imparted to it by the to when they leave the belts 75 and 79, the

conductors and the ribbon being guided to the forming mechanisnr by a sheave 95., The forming mechanism 90 is preferably of the type shown and described in ending application of H. W. Jespersd' erial No. 713,704, filed May 16, 1924. The forming mechanism 90 is actuated by means indicated at 92and is adapted to wrap the ribbon73 around itself and around the conductors to form a uniform homogeneouscoating common to the conductors. The

manner in which the ribbon is wrapped 'around itself and the conductors is illustrated in Fig. 9, the fully formed coating coated conductors into the housing Means indicated at 106 is provided in the housing 100 for subjecting the pulpous coating on the conductor to air of predetermined relative humidity and predetermined temperature. the copending application of J. S. Little, Serial No. 716,842, filed May- '30, 1924. When the coated conductors 12 pass irons the housing 100 a sheave guides them to a take-up reel 109.

The take-up reel .109 is removably mounted upon a shaft 117 which is rotatably jour-- "naled intermediate its ends in a bracket 118 (-Figs. 1. and 6). The'.reel 109 is'splined' to the shaft 117 and is held in place upon the bevel gear 122 .splined to the shaft 117 meshes with a bevel gear'123 secured to a shaft 124 rotatably journaled in the bracket 118. A pinion 125 securedto the shaft 124 thecther end of the shaft. Thepiilley13l may be'rotated by a belt 132 which connects the pulley with any suitable dri means (notshown).

This means is described in detail in shaft by a washer 119 and a nut 120. A

'meshes with a gear 126 which is rigidly secured to,a bracket 127 mounted on a frame along the rods 165.

adapted to engage A l'riction disc 134 secured to the bevel gcur 1:22 engages a friction disc l'securcd to a collar 136 splined upon the shaft 11?. Disposed around the shaft 117 is a'compressiou spring .138 which has one of its ends resting against the collar 136 and the other of its ends restiug against a washer 140 secured to the shaft 117 by a nut 141. The spring 1218 yieldii-igly urges the triction disc 1:15 into engagement with the friction disc It is obvious that when the pulley 131 driven by the belt 132, the reel 109 will ret'ate around-the axis of the shaft 117and will i also rotate around the axis of the shaft 130.

anism interposed between the forming mechanism 90 and the sleeve 101 (Fig. 12). A- sheave 151 guides the coated conductors to the twisting mechanism 150 which comprises a pluralityofgripping members 153, each of which is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends upon adaptcdto accommodate the coated strands. 'One. end of each gripping member 153 is the coating 13 on the eorcslQ and the other end thereof is provided with an anti-friction roller 155. Springs 156 yieldingly urgethe gripping members 153 into positions wherein the rollers rest upon a'grooved ably journalcd, upon the tube 154. Longitudinal displacement of the grooved collar 158 relative to the tube 154, is limited by an annular flange 160 formed integral with the tube 154 and a set collar 161 mounted onthe tube. A slide 163 rotatably journals the tube 154 and is mounted upon rods 165 which are in turn mounted in brackets 1.66. The tube' 154 is held against longitudinal displacement relative to the slide 163 bya gear 168 keyed to the tube and a set collar 169 mounted upon the tube. The gear 168 meshes with a gear 170 splined upon a shaft 171 which is rotatablyjournaled in brackets 172., The gear 17 0 is secured to the slide 163 by a split collar 17 3 which permits the gear to be rotated by thevshaft171, but constrains the gear to travel with the slide 163 when the slide moves in either direct-ion Secured to the shaft 171. is a pulley 17 5 which is operatively connected to any suitable driving means (not shown) by a belt 176.- I

Slidably mounted on the rods 165 is a yoke tube.

one end of a tube 154' collar 158 slid" carrying anti-friction rollers 181 which ride in the grooveof the collar 158. Pivotally secured to the yoke 180 by a pin 183 is a rack 184 sl-idably journaled in a bracket 185. A segment 186 which meshes with the rack 184 is pivotally mounted 187 and is formed integral with a segment 188 which meshes with a rack 190 slidably journaled in a bracket 191. Secured to one end of the rack 190 is an anti-friction roller 192 riding in a cam slot 193 of a, cam 194.

188 and 186 to reciprocate the rack 184.

They rack 184, when 'reciprocated. will reciprocate the collar. ,158 along the longitudinal axis of the tube'154. he collar 158 will in turn reciprocate the tube 154, but through a lesser distance because of the lost motion connection between the collar and the The earn 194 is driven by'any suitable means (not shown) in suchmanner that when'the tube 154 is advanced in the (lircc--. tion in which the coated conductors are being advanced, the tube and conductors will travel at substantially the same rate of speed.

'It is obvious that when the tube 154 is'being advanced in this direction, the collar 158 will bear upon the anti-friction rollers 155 and cause the gripping the coated conductors.

is driven by means of the pullev 17 5 andthe The shaft 171 which members 153 to seize upon a pin The cam 194 is adapted to reciprocate the rack 1.90 so that it will oscillate the segments belt 176 causes the g'ear170 to drive the gear i 168 which in turn rotates the tube. 154. Therefore when the gripping members 153 seize the coating 13 and travel with the coated conductors and the coating, the gripping members 153 will be rotated around the longittldinal axis of the tube 154 and will twist certain portions of the conductors 12 around each other, the portions which are so twisted being the portions disposed intermediate the sheaves 101 and 151. Of course, the conductors 12 will be twisted in op osite directions from the gripping mem rs 153 so that each conductor will comprise a plurality of sections twisted in one direction and a plurality of positions twisted in the other direction. i

In the latter embodiment; of the invention,

the coating 13 is relatively moist during the twisting operation, the coating beingsubsequently dried in the housing 100. When the coated cores pass from the housing-100 the sheaves 108 and 115 are adapted to guide them to at take-up reel (not shown) and which is driven by any suitable meanstnot Shown). 7"

What is claimed is:

, 1. A method of coating strands, consisting in applying a common, continuous, integral and substantially homogeneous coating to a plurality of strands, and twisting one strand around another.

2. A method of coating cores, consisting in applying a common, contiguous, integral and substantially homogeneous coating to a plurality of spaced strands, and twisting one strand around another.

3. A method of coating strands, consisting in applying a common, continuous, integral and substantially homogeneous coating of pulpous material to a'plurality of spaced strands, and twisting one of the strands around another.

4. A method of coating strands, consisting in subjecting a plurality of spaced strands to liquid containing pulp'in such manner that pulp is applied thereto, forming the pulpous material into a common coating for the strands, and twisting one of the strands around another.

5. A- method of coating strands, consisting in subjecting a plurality of' spaced strands to liquid containing pulp in such manner that pulp is applied thereto, removing excess moisture from the pulp applied to the strands, forming the pulp into a common coating for the strands, and twisting one of the strands around another.

6. A method of coating strands, consisting in'applying pulp fibers to' a plurality of spaced strands in such manner that the pulp is attached to the strands solely by an intermingling of the fibers thereof, forming the pulp into a common coating for the strands, and twisting one of the strands around another.

7 A method of coating strands, consisting in subjecting a; plurality of spaced strands to liquid containing pulp in such manner that pulp is applied thereto, caus; ing relative lateral motion between the strands and a portion of the applied pulp so that it is firmlyattached to the strands to form a common covering therefor, and.

. twisting one of the strands around another.

8. A method of coating strands,'consisting in applying a ribbon of wet pulp to a plurality of spaced strands, fabricating the ribbon into a, ,uniform coating common to the strands, and twisting one of the strands around another.

9. A method of coating strands, consisting in applying a ribbon of wet pulp to a plurality of spaced strands, removing excess moisture from the ribbon, forming the ribbon into a common covering for the strands, and twisting one of the strands around another.

10. A method of coating strands, which consists in applying a ribbon of wet pulp to a plurality of spaced strands, wrapping the pulp aroundthe strands to cause an intermingling of the fibersthereof, and twisting one of the strands around another.

' 11. A method of coating strands, consistin in applying unfinished paper to a plurality of spaced strands, subsequently of space completing the fabrication of the aper on the strands in such manner that t e paper is formed into a common covering therefor,

and-twisting one of the strands around another. i

12. A method of coating strands, consisting in applying unfinished paper to a plu- 1a ity of spaced strands, wrapping the unfinished paper around the strands to form a common covering therefor, and twistingone of the strands around another.

13. A method of coating strands, consisting in applying unfinished papervto a plurality of spaced strands, wrapping the unfinished paper around the strands to form a uniform covering common to both of the strands, and twisting one of the strands around another.

14:. A. methodf coating strands, consisting in applying moist pulp to a plurality of spaced strands in such manner that it holds the strand in spaced relation, fabricating the pulp into a uniform covering common to both of the strands, and twisting one of the strands around the other.

15. A method of coating strands, consisting in embedding a plurality of spaced strands ina ribbon of pulp, wrapping the ribbon around the strands, and twlsting one of the strands around another.

16. A method of coatin strands, consisting in embedding a plura it of strands in a ribbon of pulp adapte to hold the strands in spaced relation, forming the ribbon into a uniform coating common to the strands, and twisting one of the strands around another.

' of strands to form a common coating therefor, dryingthe pulp, and then twisting one of the strands ardund another.

19. A method of coating strands, consisting in a plying moist pulp to a plurality strands, forming the pulp into a uniform coatin common to t e strands, drying the coating, and then twisting one of the strands around another.

20. A method of coating strands, consisting in a plyin a common coating to a plurality 0 strain 3, and simultaneously twisting and coiling the coated strands.

' 21a method of coatin strands, consistr to strands in in applying unfinish pape he (1 in spaced relation, forming the unfinv lshed paper on tobonstitute a ea-agree 5 I continuous and integral coating therefor, for the strands, and twisting the strands one and twisting the strands one around the around the other. other. In witness whereof, I-hereunto subscribe 22. A method of eoatin strands, consistmy name this 29th day of September A. D., 5 ing inapplying unfinishe paper to strands 1924.

held in spaced relation, fabricating the unfinished paper and forming it into a coating WILLIAM FULLER HOSFQRD. 

